SJF - Daily Worship, Word and Spirit - Oct. 20, 2023
What is the first thing a child should learn?
To rest, to receive, and to trust.
They are cared for and trained while they are growing. So they must learn to rest, to receive, and to trust. This is the foundation of every believer’s walk with Jesus, whether first saved or long saved.
What is the proof of a child’s growing trust? Obedience.
If you are young in The Lord, learning to rest in Him, to receive from Him and to trust Him are the first things to learn. As you become mature in your resting, receiving and trusting, you begin obeying more quickly.
When you are mature, you have more freedom and more responsibility. Kids, as a general rule, don’t take care of adults or go alone a mission from God. Parents take care of kids and adults receive purpose from God and go on a life-long mission to complete it.
Here is a message for the mature believer. When I was a child I spoke as a child but when I became a man I put aside childish things. 1 Cor 13:11
The following passage is written from Apostle Paul to a mature believer. Timothy was a pastor.
“But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” (1 Timothy 6:11–12, NKJV)
Pursue- to pursue (literal or figurative); by implication to persecute:- ensue, follow (after), given to, (suffer) persecute (-ion), press forward.
This is the kind of pursuit that “persecutes” the mindset of the flesh. The flesh may think you are stupid to fast or to get up early to fellowship with Jesus. The flesh wants to binge watch tv or medicate itself with other things. But faith is a pursuit that persecutes the flesh.
When we read, “Fight the good fight of faith,” after reading, “pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience and gentleness,” we begin to understand what the good fight of faith is. Why righteousness and godliness? Aren’t they the same? No. One is a gift to the inner man and the other is a walk and a lifestyle. Receiving faith is a gift from God - Righteousness. Walking by faith is an act that includes spirit, soul and body - Godliness. And how can a mature son of God be angry and violent in their lifestyle? They cannot because they pursue gentleness.
The good fight of faith is also seen in Paul’s writing in Philippians 3
“Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:12–14, NKJV)
The word “press” is the very same word “pursue”. When we are denying the flesh and saying “Yes” to Jesus, we are maturing as believers.
Jesus never applies manipulation or condemnation to His leading of us. If this tugs on your heart, walk in obedience to it. But never leave the place of rest ing in Christ, receiving in The Spirit and trusting in God for everything - even maturity.